1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method, system and a program product for providing voice recognition features and more particularly for one that offers options for training speech recognition applications.
2. Description of Background
Speech recognition is often defined as the science of designing computer systems that can recognize spoken words. In reality, speech recognition is the process of converting a speech signal to a sequence of words, often by means of an algorithm implemented as a computer program.
It is not difficult to see that the idea of implementing speech recognition is very appealing to a number of situations. If implemented correctly, speech recognition can provide many advantages. To name a few examples, speech recognition technology can be extremely helpful in lessening the load of busy call centers, provide help to the handicapped, and enable multitasking by providing a hand free alternative to those traveling.
A number of voice recognition systems are available on the market. The most powerful can recognize thousands of words. However, they generally require an extended training session during which the computer system becomes accustomed to a particular voice and accent. Many systems also require that the speaker speak slowly and distinctly and separate each word with a short pause. Unfortunately, these requirements are restrictive and involve the tedious task of having a user reading words out loud into a telephone, a microphone on a personal computer before the application can become usable. The above-mentioned prior art systems are also not very cost effective and require a lot of sophisticated technology to allow their use. Because of their limitations and high cost, voice recognition systems have traditionally been used only in a few specialized situations.
Consequently, as speech recognition systems are entering the mainstream and are being used as an alternative to keyboards, it is desirable to provide voice recognition method and systems that are user friendly, do not require much input for improved performance and which are not cost prohibitive.